>> i just know you like irishmen. wouldn't my wife mind if i went out with charlize theron. she would probably be thrilled. very nice to meet you. >> thank you. good morning, everybody. another state okays same-sex unions. a milestone, yes, but same-sex couples still aren't happy because this new laws fall short of marriage. also, he wants to restructure the federal government. also wants to play you a tune. another republican formally enters the presidential race. also, we've been stuck on 50 for a while now.

maybe we need a 51st state. there's a new proposal to create a north and a south california. good morning to you all. i'm t.j. holmes, coming to you live from the cnn center in atlanta, georgia. thank you for being here. as always, we want to say good morning to the servicemen and women watching us right now on the american forces network. thank you for being here and what you do. it will be a big day in the casey anthony murder trial. closing arguments in that murder trial is just a few hours away. court is scheduled to start at 9:00 a.m. eastern time. casey anthony, as you know, accused of murdering her 2-year-old daughter caylee yesterday. there was a vigil for caylee near the spot where her body was found. the case expected to go to the jury after closing arguments. this all began in late may. casey anthony facing seven charges, including capital murder. that means she could face the death penalty if she's found guilty. the defense and prosecution both

wrapped up their cases last week. casey anthony decided not to testify in her own defense. more on that throughout the morning. also, a jailhouse phone call is raising more questions about the accuser in the dominique strauss-kahn sexual assault case. the former chief of the international monetary fund was released from house arrest on friday. mr. strauss-kahn is accused of sexually assaulting a hotel maid and last week prosecutors said the accuser's story raised credibility questions. cnn national correspondent susan candiotti has more on the jailhouse phone call supposedly from the accuser to her boyfriend. >> reporter: as dominique strauss-kahn waits to hear whether the district attorney will pursue sex assault charges against him or drop the case altogether, there is new detail about credibility issues involving dsk's accuser.

>> for mr. strauss-kahn's release on his own recog thnizr. >> reporter: a source with knowledge of the investigation tells cnn the d. average's team got a translation of a jailhouse phone call recorded in arizona. as first reported "new york times" in the, a source now tells cnn that the call in a dialect of the maid's native guinea was made between the maid and a boyfriend the day after the alleged sex attack. the source tells cnn the maid said, quote, something like she says she's fine and this person is rich and there's money to be made. investigators also discovered several bank accounts in the maid's name in different states, accounting, the source says, she did not disclose to investigators on her own. she was getting deposits of several thousand dollars at a time, the source tells cnn from people she knew, potentially

involved in drug dealing. strauss-kahn's attorneys insist he is not a rapist. and they want the case dismissed. susan candiotti, cnn, new york. anti-monarchy protests expected in quebec city today as william and kate, the duke and duchess of cambridge arrived to tour the city. this is the scene in montreal yesterday. a small crowd protested at rifle of the royal couple. it's the royal's first trip outside the uk as a married couple. while in montreal, the couple took a cooking class. they spent last night aboard a canadian naval ship that the british media are now calling the love boat. the royal couple is scheduled to make their way to california on friday. this, the scene at the georgia capital in atlanta

yesterday. thousands gathered to protest the state's new anti-immigration law. most of the law went into effect on friday. >> they deported our parents. who are we going to have to take care of us? we can't take care of ourselves. >> it's the first time i feel i've been targeted because of how i look. it's been very uncomfortable. i don't feel secure. >> a federal judge stopped some of the more controversial provisions of the law, including the one allowing police to question crime suspects about their immigration status. georgia's governor is vowing to fight to get those provisions back in the law. rhode island has legalized same-sex civil unions. governor lincoln chafee signed the bill into law yesterday. it will give same-sex couples health care benefits, tax benefits and other legal perks

but some say still doesn't go far enough. >> we feel civil unions create a second-class citizenry for thousands of gay and lesbian couples in loving, committed relationships. >> the bill sailed through the state senate last week despite some opposition. crews are trying to clean up crude oil spilled into the yellow stone river from a broken pipeline. the pine line is operated by exxonmobil. a rapid response team was sent in to try to contain the leak. six minutes past the hour. it's a holiday weekend. let's say good morning to reynolds wolf. >> that's a scary sign out there in yellow stone. it's not in yellowstone national park. it's outside of the park. the big danger is you have incredible rainbow trout there, they are top feeders. they go up to the surface and somehow the oil gets into their

gills, the fish die. i know the fourth is tomorrow. barbecues are well under way, today along the eastern seaboard, showers, thunderstorms, maybe even a little bit of flash flooding along the mid-atlantic coast. more on that coming up. >> see you in just a minute. reynolds, thank you so much. california could it be ready for a breakup? next, why some people are saying the southern half of california should become the country's 51st state. it's seven minutes past the hour. pain relief that works at the site of pain... up to 12 hours. salonpas.

eight minutes past the hour, fourth of july is tomorrow. you have plenty of fireworks displace going to be happening around the kin. some are getting a head start. take a look. my director told me i could talk whenever. i was taking this in. this is in madison, wisconsin, largest in the midwest. more than 11,000 shells fired. madison police estimate more than 250,000 did attend the event. in texas, the skies will not quite look like that, we don't believe. they are dealing with one of the

droughts, worst drought years. many counties banned fireworks displays as well. the fear there with fireworks, you don't want to be playing with fire when you have all that brush that could catch fire. >> it's so frustrating. on the dave our nation's independence, there's no better way to celebrate it than with explosives. we are not able to do that. it is tough. >> makes you want to blow something up, right? >> it does. i'm feeling like a good implosion, unfortunately i don't think there's one on the horizon. >> we used to have those weekly. >> exactly. let's hop on over here and show you what we're talking about. if you're waking up in new york, scattered showers, a few storms popping up, a few rumbles of thunder in places like new york this morning. we'll be seeing fairly heavy thunderstorms. the reason we'll see them, very simple. this area of low pressure will

be drifting from west to east across the nation. the worst part of it is going to be farther to the south towards washington, d.c. later on into the afternoon hours, maybe a big rumble of thunder, flash flooding from poor drainage. in galveston, 94 degrees. 20% chance of precipitation. highs in the 90s. we're talking about the sea breeze thunderstorms that come in, pop up, drop the rainfall. a little bit of lightning here and there. they begin to dissipate. better chance of rain in mich beach with a 0% chance. temperatures in the mid-80s. savannah, hilton haead, picture perfect. cape cod 57 degrees. beautiful out there. again, here's the big rainmaker we have. this area of low pressure that is slowly moving its way to the east. when it does you'll hear the rumble of thunder, maybe even

small hail by late afternoorn. back out to the central and northern plains. same situation, not a cold front but rather warm front from the southwest to the northeast. the heat remains in the desert southwest. the question may beg, how hot will it be? going from 94 to albuquerque, el paso 97. 102 in dallas, 98 in houston, phoenix, yeah, your temperature's not there. let me help you out there. about 110 the possibility into the afternoon. there you go. los angeles going to about 677 out by staples arina. and staples center or arena? >> center. >> sorry. i'm not a lakers fan, sorry. 70 in seattle, 86 in minneapolis. 82 in chicago and 93 in atlanta. do i respect kobe. just know that. >> they call it the house that shaq built, the staples center. >> i bet that works real well for him. >> i bet. 12 minutes past the hour. speaking of california, the

staples center is located in california right now but it could be located in a different state if one lawmaker has his way. he thinks it would be a good idea for the state of california to split in two, into a north california and a south california. this map gives you an idea. we're talking about the riverside county supervisor, his name is jeff stone. he wants about a dozen other counties to join him in forming a new state. the state of south california. the map here shows, you can tell he doesn't want los angeles to be in his state. he says north california can have los angeles. he says the state legislature is out of control. he thinks keeping their own tax dollars and southern california is a good plan. >> our state legislature that's supposed to be making laws and being respected imposes laws that aren't even lawful. so i think our state is california gone wild.

>> i think certainly the spending, the government we have in sacramento doesn't really properly represent the interest of the people in southern california, certainly their spending habits. whether or not it will happen, probably not. >> a lot of people say it does have merit to the plan but in all likelihood this will not happen. they're discussing it now, the board and the county, riverside county will take it up. if they okay it, it might go further. you might think that sounds crazy but it's been proposed before, a couple of times. in the 1970s there was talk about splitting it in half, east and west. and in 1992, one politician wanted it to split three ways. stick around for something we want to show you, show you what some of our troops are going through in afghanistan. one of our correspondents embedded with the troops there, caught in the middle of a firefight. that is next. different jobs... ♪

...different challenges. ♪ different opportunities. ♪ so why would universities stay the same? ♪ university of phoenix, because an educated world is a better world. universi♪ of phoenix, ♪ ♪ ♪ introducing purina one beyond a new food for your cat or dog. when someone changes lanes without warning? or when you're distracted?

when you're falling asleep at the wheel? do you know how you'll react? lexus can now precisely test the most unpredictable variable in a car -- the driver. when you pursue perfection, you don't just engineer the world's most advanced driving simulator. you engineer amazing. ♪ 16 minutes past the hour now. they are surrounded by enemy fighters, have to be on constant watch. troops at the u.s. outpost are there to battle taliban coming in from afghanistan. >> reporter: kunar in eastern afghanistan is some of the toughest terrain america has troops in here. you can see this particular base

is surrounded by hills on either side, which give the insurgency a central vantage point from which they can attack. the base violence is so consistent it makes it very hard for them to have the kind of contact with locals they need. life here really a waiting game for the worst to happen. everywhere you look, here in kunar on afghanistan's eastern border, the choices aren't good. outpost king is caught between hills full of taliban. if the americans leave, militants from pakistan will flow through the valley. if they stay, every few days this happens. the mortars hit the base. the last attack was long enough ago there's panic, they're worried the taliban have been preparing a big one. after days of nothing, the insurgents are finally beginning an attack from all sides.

>> fire. >> command hustle up, grab it and get ready. >> reporter: they use mortars first, aiming for taliban dark into the hills but the incoming fire is very accurate here. >> fire. >> go, go, go, go, go! >> reporter: they arrange cover from heavy machine guns. >> grab the round. as soon as they go, drop it. >> reporter: the bullets are too close. >> never mind. >> reporter: locals scatter, just before huge american firepower has the last word. >> they just fired it. >> oh! >> reporter: four massive air strikes across the hills and then the taliban falls silent. america knew why it came here but isn't sure why it's staying. >> can we get a police call for brass cigarette butts?

>>. >> reporter: ten minutes later, jets swoop in to strafe the hills. a show of force that the taliban are either gone or dead. at least five killed by a soldier's count. the next morning, it starts again. mortars and rocket-propelled grenades pound the base. for the second time in 15 hours, the base is under attack, much heavier this time and it appears they've taken casualties. >> reporter: more air strikes, this valley is vital strategically but doesn't want to be conquered. the medics fly in to collect one soldier. his injuries are not life-threatening. an american presence is vital to the country's integrity. they can stop here, students flooding in from pakistan's

madrases. leaving though, runs the risk after louing areas like this to become the safe havens that america came here in the first place to eradicate. >> reporter: there's no real victory to be had here, though. just a question of how long they will stay growing louder. nick peyton walsh, cnn, kunar, afghanistan. the drawdown for u.s. service members in afghanistan starts this month. 10,000 of them expected to be pulled out by the end of the year. 20 minutes past the hour. take a look at the screen. if you're just listening to the news, look at it for a second. the guy there is trying to diffuse a bomb and look what happens. caz caught on surveillance video. you won't believe what happened right after the blast. show that to you when we come back. would deliver our next generation mobile broadband experience to 55 million more americans, many in small towns and rural communities,

giving them a new choice. we'll deliver better service, with thousands of new cell sites... for greater access to all the things you want, whenever you want them. it's the at&t network... and what's possible in here is almost impossible to say. at exxon and mobil, we engineer smart gasoline.. that works at the molecular level to help your engine run more smoothly by helping remove deposits and cleaning up intake valves. so when you fill up at an exxon or mobil station, you can rest assured we help your engine run more smoothly while leaving behind cleaner emissions. it's how we make gasoline work harder for you. exxon and mobil. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ look at that car, well, it goes fast ♪ ♪ givin' my dad a heart attack

♪ [ friend ] that is so awesome. ♪ i love my car [ engine revving ] [ male announcer ] that first chevy, yea, it gets under your skin. ♪ our girl's an architect. our boy's a genius. we are awesome parents! biddly-boop. [ male announcer ] if you find a lower rate on a room you've booked, we won't just match it. we'll give you $50 towards your next trip. [ gnome ] it's go time.

23 minutes past the hour on this cnn sunday morning. we had another royal wedding yesterday. did you see this? the marriage between monaco's prince albert and his long-time girlfriend charlene whitstock. beautiful music to go along with this for you. they actually had a civil air moanny. the official civil ceremony was on friday but the big shin dig was yesterday. she was raised in south africa and is a former olympic swimmer. prince albert is the only son and former ruler of actually hollywood icon, grace kelly who married prince rainier there many years ago. surveillance video in thailand. looks like a stunt out of a

movie. look at him. he just gets right up and walks away after that explosion. you see him wearing that protective suit. well, apparently those things work. he only had minor injuries. police say the bomb in the car was actually detonated by someone who was probably near the scene and may have been watching the guy walk up to the car and waited for the moment to detonate that explosive. but still, it's amazeding to see that take place. he's blown back and then he gets right up and walks away. let me take you now to the contact sport of government in the philippines at least. this is the female mayor of the town here we're talking about. repeatedly punching a court officer in the face. yes, in the face, when he ignored her appeal to postpone the demolition of a shanty town. the town was built after a recent flood.

the may irasked for a two-hour delay so she could mediate tensions between squatters and police and then she let the fists fly. 25 past the hour now. if you apply for welfare in florida, you will be screened for drugs now. we'll tell you about this controversial new law. we also talked to the florida governor, rick scott, who made its passage a top priority. that is next.

water, we take our showers with it. we make our coffee with it. but we rarely tap its true potential and just let it be itself. flowing freely into clean lakes, clear streams and along more fresh water coast line than any other state in the country. come realize water's true potential. dive in-to the waters of pure michigan. your trip begins at michigan.org. t the motorola expert from sprint. its powerful tools help you work faster and smarter so you can get back to playing "angry birds."

it lets you access business forms on the go, fire off e-mails with the qwerty keypad, and work securely around the world so you can get back to playing "angry birds." it's the android-powered phone that mixes business with pleasure. so let's get our work done, america, so we can all get back to playing "angry birds." the motorola expert from sprint. trouble hearing on the phone? visit sprintrelay.com. personal pricing now on brakes. tell us what you want to pay. we do our best to make that work. deal! my money. my choice. my meineke.

good morning, l.a. enjoy being a part of california while you can. we were telling you a little while ago, if one lawmaker has his way, they would split the state of california in two. l.a. would be a part of north california. there would be a 51st state called south california. we'll tell you more about that on cnn sunday morning. closing arguments expected to begin in just a little while in the capital murder trial of casey anthony. the florida mother is accused of killing her 2-year-old daughter, caylee. you're seeing casey's father there in that first picture. if the jury gets the case tonight they will deliberate through the july fourth holiday. people in wisconsin are

cleaning up after strong storms ripped through the northwest and part of the state. look at that. one person killed, another 39 injured. the storm tore roofs off buildings, left thousands without power. also in new mexico, a bit of good news for the nuclear facility at los alamos. emergency because wildfires burning nearby are no longer a direct threat. the lab hasn't said when it might re-open. 10,000 people evacuated from their homes and are waiting to hear when they can return. if you apply for welfare in florida, you will be screened for drugs. a new law just went into effect. it requires adults applying for federal welfare benefits for their children to pass a drug test. people who flunk the test can pick someone else to receive their kid's benefits. recently talked with rick scott who pushed for the bill's passage. >> it's not right for taxpayer money to be paying for somebody's drug addiction.

on top of that, this is going to increase personal responsibility, personal accountability. we shouldn't be subsidizing people's drug addiction. welfare is for the benefit of our children and they shouldn't be -- the money should be going to take care of them, not for somebody's drug addiction. >> that's one of the points people have and one ever the problems people have. you don't know if they're using drugs, if welfare recipients are using drugs. if you don't know, why treat them like you suspect that they are? >> oh, i'm not at all. i just want to make sure our taxpayers are not interested in subsidizing drug addiction. if you go to apply for a job, they're not saying you use drugs. they're saying in that work environment they don't want you to use drugs. in this case we do not want to subsidize drug addiction. we want to give everybody increased incentive not to use drugs. it's better for the family and

individual and it doesn't use taxpayer money. >> you don't want to subsidize it, what evidence do you have that you are now or you have been, what evidence is there that there are people in your state who are drug users? it's okay if you just say you believe that plenty of people on welfare are drug users. it doesn't sound like you want to say that. >> sure, t.j. studies show that people that are on welfare are higher users of drugs than people not on welfare. but the bottom line is this, you know -- >> sir, to that point, that would stop people in their tracks. i don't have whatever study you're referring to. you're saying that people out there, lost jobs or are on welfare have a higher tendency to use drugs? >> absolutely. the studies show people on welfare are using drugs much higher than the population. if they're not using drugs, it's not an issue. our taxpayers don't want to subsidize drug addiction.

it will increase responsibility. it's the right thing to do for floridaens. >> some call it unconstitutional and invasion of privacy. 32 minutes past the hour now. coming up we'll hit the road with reynolds. >> reporter: this is one of the beautiful squares in savannah. i'm not quite sure what the name of this particular one happens to be. of course, it all makes sense. of course it does. love it. >> we're heading to reynolds square. we're talking one trip on one tank of gas. just how far can you go? that's next. the debate is over. ♪ lexus hybrid drive technology is designed to optimize any fuel source on the planet. even those we don't use yet. because when you pursue perfection,

you don't just engineer a future-proof hybrid system. you engineer amazing. ♪ yo i've tried it.ing. but nothing's helped me beat my back pain. then i tried this. it's salonpas. this is the relief i've been looking for. salonpas has 2 powerful pain fighting ingredients that work for up to 12 hours. and my pharmacist told me it's the only otc pain patch approved for sale using the same rigorous clinical testing that's required for prescription pain medications. proven. powerful. safe. salonpas. and i can have a proposal to you within half an hour. we're a small business. with 27 of us always in the field, we have to stay connected. we use verizon tablets, smartphones. we're more responsive. there are no delays. delays cost money. with verizon, we do things quicker and more effectively.

more small businesses choose verizon wireless than any other wireless carrier because they know the small business with the best technology rules. any questions? no. you know... ♪ we're not magicians ♪ we can't read your mind ♪ ♪ read your mind ♪ we need your questions ♪ each and every kind ♪ every kind ♪ will this react with my other medicine? ♪ ♪ hey, what are all these tests even for? ♪ ♪ questions are the answer

♪ yeah ♪ oh [♪...] >> male announcer: now, for a limited time, your companion flies free, plus save up to 65%. call 1-800-sandals. conditions apply. ♪ on the road again ♪ just can't wait to get on the road again ♪ >> for years you celebrate his entire collection, you had the braids at one time, you loved the music, played the guitar. >> they didn't have to find this music, they said t.j. bring in your collection. >> it's amazing how that happens. >> this is good riding music. this is the kind of stuff you were riding to. reynolds is doing a public service here.

sometimes you need to hop in the car and hit the road. >> it is say tough time for everyone. economically nationwide we're having a difficult time. this story harkins back to an earlier time when a family vacation used to be getting into your country squire or bigger van and whatever you see is your vacation. that's what we did and we did it on one tank. check it out. we're starting a journey going from st. mary's, georgia to savannah. i'm not going by myself. i have two people with me, cnn photo journalist rick blackburn and producer aleeicia eken. three friends, one tank of gas. let's hit the road. at our first stop on today's trip on a tank is at cumberland island, georgia. you have the sun, the surf, the island and the manatees. check those guys out.

but it's not just the animals. we have incredible ruins here, too. maggie tyler is here with us. how long have these been here. >> 1890s and burned in 1959 and became part of the national park service in 1972. >> reporter: it's been around for a long time. speaking of time, it's time for us to keep moving. let's go. let's just keep things in perspective. as we get one step closer to savannah we'll see all kinds of neat things. it's not like we'll see a giant submarine sticking out of the ground. let's be serious. i'm speechless. take a look at that. the "uss george bancroft," a submarine coming out of the

ground in st. mary's. nothing on this trip can top that. actually, it can. we're in woodbine, georgia, we found this, dead people's things for sale. wow. alicia, is it open? >> it's shut. >> rick, you want to stick around? all right, let's get back in the car. >> breaker one nine. >> the journey brings to us st. simon's island, georgia where we've seen a lot of these amazing carvings on the trees here on the island. the artist put these together as a memorial. there are a lot of them. these things are creeping me out. we are out of here. we decide to take a small break at the smallest church in america. at first glimpse, shocker. it looks small.

let's take a peek inside. watch your head there, rick. and inside, the tiny church we have our tiny produce ir. she's 5'1". we're allowed to say she's kind of small. do you feel crowded? >> it's just right. >> right for her. but for me and for rick, we're tall. we'll move on to bigger stories like our big story. we finally made it 0 our destination in savannah, georgia. now we take a look around. let's hop on the old town trolley. it is amazing what you'll see when you're moving through this incredible city, just beautiful stuff. denise is our driver. what is the number one stop for people in savannah. >> the number one stop here in savannah is forsythe park. >> wow, let's check it out. there. >> it is, the incredible

fountain in forsythe square in savannah. it's been an amazing trip from st. mary's to savannah, over 200 miles, one tank, one trip. so many sights we were able to see. we'll see you next time. one of the biggest disappointments is we tried to sit in the forrest gump bench. doesn't exist. it's been picked up and put in a museum. >> they didn't appreciate it. savannah is like that was our whole thing to get people to town. >> there's nothing else there. savannah's fantastic, there's so much there. let's talk about the money there. it was an economical trip. 200 miles, six cities, small towns, it cost about 99 bucks to fill up a ford expedition. get a smaller card, it will be cheaper for you. gas, the ferry. the trolley. i think what we'll try is we'll try to do things that strictly are free, that you can stop by

and see. and the thing that's amazing with these trips, the things we'll show you hopefully the next couple weeks are bizarre and amazing things like the world's largest dried apple. could be george washington koofsher carver's first laboratory or something like joe joe the dog-faced boy. >> taking ideas. >> go to cnn.com/travel, by all means offer some suggestions. and on that page you'll see suggestions from five other correspondents here at cnn. it's a great thing. >> cool. we'll see you on the road soon. reynolds, appreciate you, buddy. >> i still need your willie nelson collection. >> not a problem at all. >> reynolds will be back with your holiday forecast. we'll talk to him again shortly. meanwhile, we have a special honor to tell you about for robert gates.

>> the outgoing defense secretary gets a big sendoff and a medal for his service. we'll hear the president's parting words.

the newest defense secretary was sworn in last friday. he says he's committed to keeping the military strong, despite calls for up to $400 million in cuts. panetta was the head of the cia before being picked by president obama to take over at the pentagon. with panetta officially in, robert gates is out. he staid on in the current

administration to help lead the military during operations in afghanistan and iraq. president obama paid tribute to gates at a special ceremony at the pentagon. >> bob, this may be your greatest legacy of all. the lives you saved and the confidence you gave our men and women in battle who knew that there was a secretary of defense who had their backs and who loved them and who fought for them and who did everything in his power to bring them home safely. so today, we not only pay tribute to a remarkable public servant, we celebrate the principles for which he served and for which our nation stands. i believe the life of bob gates is a lesson, especially to young americans. a lesson that public service is an honorable calling. that we can pass our country better and strong er to those wo

follow. our next secretary of defense, leon panetta, has subscribed to this same life of service and i'm confident he, too, will lead this department with clear vision and a steady hand. as commander in chief, i am determined that armed forces will always, always remain the best trained, the best led, the best equipped fighting for us in history. and in an uncertain world that demands our leadership. the united states of america and our armed forces will remain the greatest force for freedom and security that the world has ever known. this is the america, strong and confident, to which bob gates has devoted his life. i can think of no better way to express the gratitude of the nation for bob gates than with a very special recognition.

bob, this is not in the program but i would ask you to please stand. as president, the highest honor that i can bestow on a civilian is the presidential medal of freedom. it speaks to the values we cherish as a people and the ideals we strive for as a nation. and today it is my great privilege to present the presidential medal of freedom to america's 22nd secretary of defense, robert m. gates. >> i'm deeply honored and moved by your presentation of this award. it is a big surprise. but we should have known a couple of months ago you've gotten pretty good at this covert ops stuff. >> that was kind of funny there,

secretary gatsz. the presidential medal of freedom which gates got at that ceremony is the country's highest civilian honor. at about 12 minutes to the top of the hour. still to come, check this guy out. ♪ he wants to restructure the federal government. but he wants to play you a tune first. another republican formally enters the presidential race. ♪ you are my sunshine ♪ my only sunshine ♪ you makes me happy ♪ when skies are grey ♪ you'll never know, dear ♪ how much i love you ♪ please don't take my sunshine away ♪ [ male announcer ] as long as there are babies, they'll be chevy's to bring them home. ♪

a network of possibilities. in here, the planned combination of at&t and t-mobile would deliver our next generation mobile broadband experience to 55 million more americans, many in small towns and rural communities, giving them a new choice. we'll deliver better service, with thousands of new cell sites... for greater access to all the things you want, whenever you want them. it's the at&t network... and what's possible in here is almost impossible to say.

about ten minutes to the top of the hour. live pictures of the nation's capital. a lot of celebrating going to be happening over this holiday weekend. i hoped to there be with you but i had a change of plans. i'm not going to be able to make it up. still, everyone will be enjoying the fireworks, the mall. everybody taking in the nation's birthday in washington, d.c. and there is, today, a new candidate in the presidential race this morning. thad cotter. you know him? he's a michigan congressman. listened to how he kicked off his campaign. >> i am announcing my candidacy for the nomination of my republican party to serve as your president of the united states.

he is now the tenth republican in the race and nobody else did it like this when they announced. who is he exactly? you can tell he place the guitar. he plays in the band called the second amendments. that will probably help him on the trail somewhere. other members of the house in thatten bad as well. mccotter is serving his fifth team in congress, representing the suburbs around detroit. he's a member of the influential house services committee. the debate over raising the debt ceiling has led to a big change of plans for congress. they with working this week instead of taking a longer fourth of july break. cnn congressional correspondent kate baldwin has more on the flip theater playing out in washington. >> reporter: harry reid canceled the senate's july fourth week break in order to ten working on the debt negotiations.

he says that and the president's press conference set off astonishing political theater up here as the debate over raising the federal debt ceiling rages on. after president obama scold the congress for taking time off instead of getting to work on a deal to raise the federal debt ceiling, the senate's top republican issued a chance in the form of an invitation right back at the president. >> the president says wants to get working. wants us to get working. i can't think of a better way than to have him come on over today. we're waiting. >> reporter: juror cornyn took it even further, calling the press conference absolutely disgraceful. >> he should be ashamed. i respect the office of president of the united states. i think the president has diminished that office himself by giving the kind of campaign speeches that he gave yesterday. >> reporter: and cornyn will shoot a challenge of his own as

the president heads out of town for two political fund-raisers. >> instead of going to philadelphia and raising money, why didn't he call senator mcconnell, speaker boehner, minority leader pelosi and majority leader reed into his office and sit down and do his job. >> reporter: that elicited this sharp rebuttal from the president's spokesman. >> we can walk and chew gum estimate. >> reporter: mean time in acore corio -- choreography. >> as a special write-off for thoroughbred racehorses. >> the tax break for yacht owners. >> a tax break for private jets. >> reporter: and the sharp rhetoric turned to political theater when republicans bulked at the timing of an unrelated trade deal meeting that

democrats said would help the economy. >> i look over there and i see these empty chairs. on the very same day that the july 4th recess has been canceled, because four or five members on that side refused to allow the senate to recess, supposedly because we have so much business. >> reporter: a whole lot of fiery rhetoric on both sides. it's not clear if any of this will have any impact on pushing the stalled debt talks forward. no meanings scheduled between the main negotiators, republican and democratic leaders and the white house. t.j.? >> thanks as always to kate baldwin. we are just five day ads way from the final shuttle liftoff. at $4 billion a year for the program, has it been worth it? we take a look, next. is all we humans get. we spend them on treadmills.

we spend them in traffic. and if we get lucky, really lucky, it dawns on us to go spend them in a world where a simple sunrise can still be magic. twenty-five thousand mornings. make sure some of them are pure michigan. your trip begins at michigan.org. ♪ sing polly wolly doodle all the day ♪ ♪ hah

we're getting close to the top of the hour here now. and friday marks a milestone for nasa. that's when "atlantis," the final space shuttle mission ever is scheduled to launch. the shuttle program was created almost a year before the apollo

moon landing. unlike other designs, the shuttle was reuseable and considered by some as cost effective. why is nasa ending the program now? john zarrella asks the experts. was the shuttle program a success or fail yaur? . >> reporter: from the beginning it was a marvelous machine, releasing probes like ulysses that went to jupiter. >> it's estimated to take ten minutes. >> reporter: to capture and retrieve failed satellites, dead in space, dangerous feats unheard of before shuttle. >> houston, i think we have a satellite. >> reporter: the great observatory observatory hubble. >> hubble has arrived on board

"atlantis" with the arm. >> reporter: it was launched, repaired and sfrsed from the shuttle. every major building block was carried up and assembled from shuttle. before becoming nasa's head man, charlie boulden was an astronaut. he flew four shuttle flights, including the hubble launch. >> i defy anybody, i will argue with my apollo comrades, the accomplishments, the achievements, the record of performance, the spinoffs, the capabilities that have been developed, what we did in shuttle over 30 years dwarfed who was done in the apo popollo >> there's no goal, no mission. we are wandering in the desert in space today, period. >> reporter: so why now? why call it quits now?

from the time of its inception 40 years ago until the shuttles are retired, the program will have cost the american taxpayers just shy of $115 billion, that's less than $4 billion a year, a drop, if that, in the federal budget. still the problem is money. >> there's just not enough money in nasa to continue the existing programs and start a new program at the same time. >> reporter: twaz time? >> yes, it was time. it has been time for some time to phase out a shuttle and go back to exploration. >> reporter: whether you hated it or hailed it, whether you felt it a waste or worth it, the shuttle was an iconic flying machine that symbolized america's inspiration and ingenuity. >> roger roll.

good morning to you all. we're just crossing the top of the hour on this cnn sunday morning. i'm t.j. holmes. thanks for being here. another state okays same-sex unions. a milestone, yes. some same-sex couples still aren't happy because this new law falls short of marriage. we've been stuck on 50 for a while now. it's time for a 51st state. a new proposal to create a north and a south california. weep tell telling you all about that. it is 7:00 a.m. in atlanta, georgia, 6:00 a.m. in hem fis. let's start right now with someone we're expecting in a couple of hours. court is set to start at 9:00 a.m. eastern time. yes, on sunday. court is in session. casey anthony is accused of murderer her 2-year-old daughter

caylee. yesterday there was a vigil for caylee near the spot where her body was found. here's a quick look at how we got to this point. this all started in lay may with a jury of seven women and five men. casey anthony facing seven charges, including capital murder. that means she could face the death penalty if found guilty. the defense and prosecution both wrapped up their cases last week. casey anthony did not testify in her own defense. more on this throughout the morning. a jailhouse phone call is raising more questions about the accuser in the dominique strauss-kahn sexual assault case. the former chief of the international monetary fund was released on friday. prosecutors said the accuser's story raised credibility questions. cnn national correspondent susan candiotti has more now on that

jailhouse phone call supposedly from the accuser to her boyfriend. >> reporter: as dominique strauss-kahn waits to hear whether the district attorney will pursue sex assault charges him or drop the case altogether, there is new detail about credibility issues involving dsk's accuser. >> he's released on his own recog th recog th recognizance. >> reporter: as first reported in "the new york times," a source now tells cnn that the call in a dialect of the maid's native guinea was made between the maid and a boyfriend the day after the alleged sex attack. the source tells cnn the made said something like, she's fine

and this person is rich and there's money to be made. investigators also discovered several bank accounts in the maid's name in different states. accou accounts, the source says, she did not close to versions on her own. she was getting deposits of several thousand dollars at a time, the source tells cnn, from people she knew, potentially involved in drug dealing. >> strauss-kahn's attorneys insist is he not a rapist and they want the case dismissed. susan candiotti, cnn, new york. anti-monarchry protests are expect ed in canada today. this was the scene in montreal yesterday, a small crowd protested their arrival. it's the royal's first trip

outside uk as a married couple. while in montreal, they took a cooking class. the royal couple scheduled to make their way to california on friday. >> this was the scene at the georgia state capital in atlanta yesterday. thousands of people there protesting the state's new anti-immigration law. most of that law went into effect last week. >> if they deported our parents who are we going to have to take care of us? we can't take care of ourselves. >> it is the first time i feel like i've been targeted because of how i look. it's very uncomfortable. sometimes i don't feel secure. >> a federal judge stopped some of the more controversial proigz of the law from going into effect, including the one allowing police to question suspects about their immigration status.

rhode island has now legalized same-sex civil unions. governor lincoln chafee signed the bill into law yesterday. it will give same-sex couples a bunch of new state tax breaks, health care benefits and other legal perks. some say, still, this law doesn't go far enough. >> we feel civil unions create a second-class citizenry for thousands of gay and lesbian couples in committed, loving relationships. >> the bill sailed through the senate last week despite strong opposition. in california, a local lawmaker thinks it would be a good idea for the state to split in two. jeff stone is from southern california. he wants about a dozen other counties to join him in forming that state. he wants southern california to be the enthusiasm state, but he

doesn't want los angeles to be a part of south california. stone says the state legislature is out of control. he think keeping their tax dollars in southern california is a good idea. >> our state legislature that's supposed to be making laws that are respected imposes laws that aren't even lawful. our state is california gone wild. >> i think the spending, the government we have in sacramento doesn't properly represent the interests in the people of kourn california, certainly in their spending habits. >> they are just discussing this possibility right now. it's actually been proposed before, believe it or in the. in the 1970s there was talk about splitting california in half, east and west in in 1929, one politician wanted the state split three ways. reynolds you got it together

over there? >> they're trying to adjust the camera and i'm getting lower and higher. no fun and games. today you'll be dodging rain drops while flipping the burgers. the rain will be coming down like you wouldn't believe. for a good part of the country, severe drought. coming up, we'll let you know those places and when we might get relief. don't let this happen to you. yes. coming up, don't get your head blown off. by a firework. we know these injuries happen every year. safely tips for a lost pokes who are going to be firing up those fishlgs this fourth of july holl dpa. . in here, the planned combination of at&t and t-mobile would deliver our next generation mobile broadband experience

to 55 million more americans, many in small towns and rural communities, giving them a new choice. we'll deliver better service, with thousands of new cell sites... for greater access to all the things you want, whenever you want them. it's the at&t network... and what's possible in here is almost impossible to say. it's the at&t network... any questions? no. you know... ♪ we're not magicians ♪ we can't read your mind ♪ ♪ read your mind ♪ we need your questions ♪ each and every kind ♪ every kind ♪ will this react with my other medicine? ♪ ♪ hey, what are all these tests even for? ♪ ♪ questions are the answer

♪ yeah ♪ oh 14 clubs. that's what they tell us a legal golf bag can hold. and while that leaves a little room for balls and tees, it doesn't leave room for much else. there's no room left for deadlines or conference calls. not a single pocket to hold the stress of the day, or the to-do list of tomorrow. only 14 clubs pick up the right one and drive it right down the middle of pure michigan. your trip begins at michigan.org.

with 11 moirnsz past hour now. a lot of people want the forecast from reynolds. we need to give you a heads up. don't let this happen to you. okay. they get a little dramatic with it but still they're trying to make a point here. >> hold on for a second. go back to that beautiful fruit. >> fireworks are dangerous but more importantly it makes me think if i eat a watermelon my face might explode. >> is that what you think. >> explosively delicious water mellen. here it goes. that would ruin the holiday for you, completely. it's a horrible situation. who in the world wants to face

the rest of our nation's independence with -- >> i don't i had that's what the consumer products safety commission was going for. >> unintended consequences. a harmless piece of produce and they obliterated the whole thing. >> some places have banned fireworks. a lot of you who are going to be using them, keep this in mind. keep a bucket of water handy. never shoot off fireworks in metal or glass containers. douse fireworks before you throw them in the trash and make sure they're legal in your area. >> before you eat the watermelon, douse with nice, cold water to preven it the from exploding. we were talking earlier about the great deal of rainfall we've had through the season. we'll show you just the opposite, places we've had

extreme drought. unfortunately there's quite a bit. this is from the climate prediction center. does it matter? it is holding solid. includes much of texas. look at this also in parts of new mexico and arizona. what do we have in common with this? these are all places we've been dealing with heavy rain conditions. the monsoon season will pick up. yesterday in parts of the desert southwest it is scorching hot. let's talk more about those temperatures, 86 in minneapolis, 82 in chicago, shurz possible lp 80 in new york, 92 in washington and 102 in dallas and 97 in el paso. your highs will be just off the charts. 84 in flagstaff.

you have colder air aloft in higher elevation. w that, cooler temperatures. 106 in fresno, 77 in san diego, 93 in santa fe. you'll see it along parts of the eastern seaboard. there will be the chance as we make our way into the fourth of july forecast, storms in across the northern plains. very warm for you in parts of the central plains, humid, hot and a chance of storms along the gulf coast. there's still no movement in the national football league lookout. nfl owners and players remain at logger heads. more now from cnn's joe johns. >> reporter: we're nearly four months into the nfl lockout an still no deal in place as owners

and players argue how to split up $9.5 billion in annual reven revenue. >> agreedy. >> pathetic. >> reporter: james brown, a nationally known nfl sportscaster offer it's his take. >> i would like to think prudent heads will prevail in coming up with something that is a win/win situation and doesn't alienate your fan base. >> when you look at folks dealing with day-to-day issues being cut back to 80% and 90% of their workweek and pay or more, others losing their jobs, one ha to be very sensitive to that. >> reporter: president obama is on the record saying "work it out." >> for an industry that's making $9 billion a year in reef knew, they can figure out how to dive vied it in in a sensible way and be true to their fans.

so my expectation and hope is that they will resolve it without me intervening. it turns out i have a lot of other stuff to do. >> owners say the economic model has changed and there's a noou need to restructure. players are reluctant. fans we talk to tend to side with the players but they also say get a deal done already. >> it's a business. they can come could a win/win situation. >> i think both sides should end it and get back to what they do. >> reporter: as for the product on the field? >> i think that will fail. one of the biggest concerns are injuries. >> training camps, preseason games and the regular season would be in jeopardy. stadiums like this one would go empty, which is, welcome, less

revenue. you want to take a look at something here. this is what's being called a love hotel. offers hourly rates to couples and the discretion and convenience offer is paying off big time. we'll take you on tour, text next. it lets you access business forms on the go, fire off e-mails with the qwerty keypad, and work securely around the world so you can get back to playing "angry birds." it's the android-powered phone that mixes business with pleasure. so let's get our work done, america, so we can all get back to playing "angry birds." the motorola expert from sprint. trouble hearing on the phone? visit sprintrelay.com. so we can all get back to playing "angry birds." ♪ sing polly wolly doodle all the day ♪

♪ hah

21 minutes past the hour, joined by nadia billchik. nadia assures me this is an economic story but has to do with love hotels that offer hourly rates. >> what gets impacted, hotels? here's a sector of the hotel industry that is absolutely booming. you call it love hotels, otherwise known as hoe fells that rent themselves out by the

hour. let's first go to brussels this belgium. here we have the hotel triviso. this is a trendy area of brussels. they over room service and discretion. >> and discretion. >> the owner of the hotel says her busiest times are lunch and between 5:00 and 7:00 in the evening. >> they are catering to their lunch breaks. are they catering to a boyfri d boyfriend/girlfriend, husband/wife? >> it's a don't ask, don't tell policy. >> think about manhattan and how many people live in tight

quarters. maybe going to the hotel is quite necessary. the owner says he's made it as romantic as possible. on the fourth of the july from the ceiling you can see the fireworks. rates for about two hourses are $60 and for three years, $70 an an extra $15 if you want an interlewd room. >> what are we talking about? >> you get a world polo jacuzzi for an extra $15. >> how are the cleaning staff. >> because of the high turnover they don't take reservations. >> it's a walk-in hotel. >> this is one of the few hotels that are still doing this. >> are these in major cities

around the world. >> you can read about love hotels all over the world. we know post-earthquake japan. this is a booming industry. it's a $40 billion a year industry in japan. i'm going to say you to the bonita hotel. this hotel has a 257% occupancy rate. now, think about japan. >> i'm thinking this one out. >> lots of people living tob, often a mother will live with her children. >> you need privacy. >> exactly. >> is there a minimum stay n. well, i suppose it would be an hour. but usually two. >> okay. some might only need half hour, 15 minutes or so. >> we're promoting romance. >> i love learning something

from you during these morning passports. thank you so much. 24 minutes past the hour. coming up, do you know how to handle yourself on an airplane? should you wake up the person next to you if now need to the go to the robathroom? stay with us.

live picture of the marine corps memorial in washington, d.c. a lot of people will be certainly descending on the city this weekend to celebrate the birthday of the nation. a lot of people might be flying

to washington, d.c., flying around for this holiday. listening to this might be tough to take. [ baby crying ] >> all right. yes, babies cry and they cry on planes. what can you do? can you say anything to the parent without starting a find? i asked an airplanette quit expert about that and some other things you should or should notten doing on a plane. >> the thing to do is be pro-active ahead of time before your kid has a chance to cry and disrupt everyone. make friends with people around you and apologize in advance. >> if you're the passenger, there's nothing kou can do. the own sis on the parents? >> yes. it comes on the part of the parent. if you'll be darting dirty looks to a baby, i think you should

save them for yourself. people always fight over the arp rest. who gets is it. >> i think -- personally, i think all seats are not created equal when it comes to being on the airplane. the guy in the middle seem be to in the lucky positierson gettin better position. i usually give the armrests to the guy or gal in the middle. >> defer to the middle. you need to use the rest room and you're sitting by the window and the person next to you is asleep. >> choices are climbing over or waking them up. a tap on the shoulder, a quick apology is always better having them make up midstraddle. in that situation already, never to pull on